Pakistan refuses to use Indian cars for its PM during visit to attend SAARC summit in Nepal

November 17, 2014 05:37 AM

Cars used by Dignitaries during visits to India

By Chanchal Manohar Singh

Chandigarh, Nov. 17 (PKB): India and Pakistan continue to live under suspicion among them and it is continuing still. Pakistan refuses to use Indian-suppled cars for its Prime minister Nawaz Sharif during SAARC Summit in Nepal.

Since the cancellation of the Foreign Secretaries meet in Islamabad in view of the Pakistan’s High Commissioner’s meeting with separatists in High Commissioner’s office in New Delhi, the relations between the two countries remain clouded with stress and tension.

Nepal’s foreign ministry spokesperson Khaganath Adhikari told the country’s leading daily, Kantipur, that Pakistan had told Nepal that it will make independent arrangements for Sharif’s movements. Officials in Kathmandu tried to underplay the issue, and suggested it was routine for foreign leaders to bring in their own vehicles.

The Pakistani government has told Nepal – the host of the ensuing SAARC summit-2014 on November 26 and 27th – that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will not use any vehicle provided by India According to report in Hindustan Times.

It is stated that, Islamabad will get its own cars for its PM for the duration of the summit. In fact Pakistan is going to airlift two cars for its PM’s use during the SAARC Summit. For PM Modi, India will bring in separate vehicles to Kathmandu as well as to Janakpur and Lumbini, where he is scheduled to travel.

The US president always uses its own cars airlifted for his use during visits abroad.

India, on the request of Kathmandu, had sent six bullet-proof vehicles to Nepal on Saturday to be used by SAARC leaders. Nepal itself has two such vehicles, currently used by President Ram Baran Yadav and PM Sushil Koirala. Two other vehicles are in need for repair. During his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Koirala had sought logistical support from India for the summit.

Nepal’s foreign ministry spokesperson Khaganath Adhikari told the country’s leading daily, Kantipur, that Pakistan had told Nepal that it will make independent arrangements for Sharif’s movements. Officials in Kathmandu tried to underplay the issue, and suggested it was routine for foreign leaders to bring in their own vehicles.

The vehicles supplied by India are currently with the Nepal Army. The Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Maldives President Abdulla Yameen will use Indian vehicles.